Alabama Quarterback Bryce Young Wins 2021 Heisman Trophy

NEW YORK, — Alabama Crimson Tide sophomore quarterback Bryce Young became the fourth player in school history to win college football's highest honor as he was named the recipient of the 2021 Heisman Memorial Trophy Saturday night in New York City.

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Young grabbed 684 first place votes to beat out Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (78 1st place votes), Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud (12) and Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett (28) for the award, marking only the sixth time a school has had back-to-back Heisman winners.

The Heisman Trophy is just the latest piece of hardware picked up by the talented signal-caller from Pasadena, California. Earlier this week, Young was named the winner of the Maxwell and Davey O'Brien Quarterback awards, cementing his status as one of the greatest players in Crimson Tide and college football history after only one year as a starter.

Young finished the 2021 regular season leading the SEC with 40 passing touchdowns — including a record-breaking five scoring strikes in a 42-35 win over Arkansas on Nov. 20. During the Arkansas game, Young would also go 31-of-40 on the night for 559 yards, which shattered Scott Hunter's school record that previously stood for more than half a century.

For his heroics against Arkansas, Young would earn one of his three SEC Offensive Player of the Week awards, with the others coming after wins against Miami and Tennessee.

It would be his clutch performance in a four-overtime win at Auburn in the Iron Bowl, though, that provided one of his most memorable Heisman moments. Despite being sacked seven times on the night, Young would hit John Metchie for a successful two-point conversion to give the Tide the win and preserve Alabama's chances for a College Football Playoff appearance.

As a cherry on top of a near-perfect regular season, Young would lead the one-loss underdogs to a stunning win over heavily-favored and unbeaten Georgia in the 2021 SEC Championship game.

In the victory over the No. 1 Bulldogs and their highly-touted defense, Young went 26-for-44 through the air for 421 yards and three scores. He also had 40 yards on the ground on just three rushing attempts.

Young now joins running backs Derrick Henry and Mark Ingram, along with last year's winner, receiver DeVonta Smith, as Alabama's Heisman winners — all of whom have come during the Nick Saban era at The Capstone.

Heisman Trophy in hand, Young and the No. 1 Crimson Tide (12-1) is set to take on No. 4 Cincinnati (13-0) on Dec. 31 in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, while No. 3 Georgia (12-1) is set to take on No. 2 Michigan (12-1) in the Capital One Orange Bowl in Miami.

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